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The things that you know, all the skills that you’ve honed over the years—all of these can give you a massive advantage in life. Sure, pretty much everyone knows the phrase that knowledge is power, but how often do we realize how true that is? And sometimes that knowledge can make people feel guilty that they know it at all. The burden’s just too big to bear.

Some bits of info feel practically illegal to know even if they’re technically not. From being able to pick locks to knowing how atomic bombs work and how people taste and more, Reddit users opened up about the most esoteric, ‘forbidden’ pieces of knowledge they’ve accidentally stumbled upon.

We’ve collected the most honest and intriguing insights from these two r/AskReddit threads right here and here to give you a glimpse into a darker, more uncomfortable side of real-life, Pandas. Read on, upvote the answers that impressed you the most, and share your own bits of info that feel illegal to know in the comments. But before you do, take a look around to check if the FBI and CIA aren’t nearby in an unmarked white van.

Pssst, Pandas, if you’d like even more captivating but dark facts, you should definitely check out Bored Panda’s earlier article right here.

Bored Panda reached out to Steven Wooding for a chat about 'forbidden' knowledge, limiting access to information, and responsibility. Steven is a member of the Institute of Physics in the UK and part of the Omni Calculator Project team. He created the Weird Units Converter.

"There have to be some limits to information, for the protection of the general public and those trying to use such information," Steven shared with us. "One area where this is common is in the field of computer security. The fine details of how to do an exploit are withheld to stop low-level hackers from simply following a recipe to cause havoc on the internet. We mustn't make it too easy for bad people to do bad things." Read on for the full interview.

This post may include affiliate links.

#1

35 Pieces Of Information That Feel Illegal To Know (New Answers) I am a criminal in 72 countries. Being gay is weird.

ArmedOsprey , Carlos de Toro @carlosdetoro Report

Final score:
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Steven absolutely believes that people have more and more responsibility, the more information they know. "If you know potential dangerous information, you should protect it from the general public, or more specifically, people who would do bad things," he explained to us.

"That's why government labs in sensitive areas keep the information they have a secret to protect the general public from threatening uses of that information," he added.
#2

35 Pieces Of Information That Feel Illegal To Know (New Answers) The little “i” in a circle on YouTube ads is clickable and if it’s an unskipable ad you just click it and click stop seeing this ad and your back to your video.

Lixian_lol , pexels Report

Final score:
542points
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#3

35 Pieces Of Information That Feel Illegal To Know (New Answers) Most adults have no idea what they're doing, they just make it up along the way and go with it.

captainplasticspoon , pexels Report

Final score:
532points
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Bored Panda wanted to know if scientists have a duty to figure out the truth about how the world works or if there have to be some limits in place. "You probably can't stop things from being discovered. If you ban it in one country, another will pursue it to gain a competitive advantage. And if all countries agree on a ban, some curious people will probably continue to work on it," Steven shared his opinion.

"In general, I think we should learn about everything about how the world and universe work. It's how that knowledge is applied later on that is debatable," he said that the focus has to be on how that knowledge is then used, not the actual fact that you know something.

You could argue that human beings are hardwired for curiosity. We want to know as much about the world as we can because our survival depends on it. And the more fringe the knowledge, the more obscure the facts, the more curious some of us get. This applies both to real-life facts, as well as to entertainment. ‘Forbidden’ knowledge and learning about the dark side of humanity are hard to resist. Especially in the digital age where so much information is just a few internet searches away.

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#4

35 Pieces Of Information That Feel Illegal To Know (New Answers) Dollar store pregnancy tests are just as effective as their more expensive counterparts.

randompersons90 , Raspopova Marina Report

Final score:
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#5

35 Pieces Of Information That Feel Illegal To Know (New Answers) The reason they don’t put good pockets on girls pants is so they can sell you a purse.

ShinyNinja25 , pexels Report

Final score:
403points
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#6

35 Pieces Of Information That Feel Illegal To Know (New Answers) The fact that whales have a 42 inch anus and that their fart bubbles can hold a horse

noobruler69 , Todd Cravens Report

Final score:
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"When considering why the darker side of humanity and entertainment are so compelling, we have to first look at our evolutionary journey as human beings. For the majority of our existence, we were prey and always hyperaware of threats to our safety, which created a negativity bias that we are drawn towards," psychologist Lee Chambers told Bored Panda earlier.

"But in today's safe and often sanitized world, we are rarely threatened significantly, and the ability to explore evil, frightening and gruesome entertainment is one of the few ways we can visit this part of humanity while remaining safe and comfortable. There is a level of novelty to it, it removes boredom quickly, and it helps us to discover our emotional limits while understanding the minds of those who go beyond social norms and potentially gaining knowledge of how we might avoid being victims ourselves. They also offer closure, with many stories ending with the mystery being solved, and the criminal being brought to a level of justice," the mental health expert explained to us why exploring the darker aspects of humanity hooks and reels so many people in.

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#7

35 Pieces Of Information That Feel Illegal To Know (New Answers) Healthcare in the US doesn't actually cost as much as we, the citizens, are led to believe.

Similar_Craft_9530 , Ani Kolleshi Report

Final score:
389points
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#8

There’s a website called SciHub that allows you to access scientific papers for free. I’m fairly sure it’s legal, but it feels like cheating to go around the paywall.

ThePinkTeenager Report

Final score:
368points
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#9

That the Chinese Government murdered a bunch of it's own people in Tiananmen Square in 1989

Ser_Dunk_the_tall Report

Final score:
357points
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The psychologist pointed out that some people find it comforting when they’re exposed to evil things being done in the form of entertainment, e.g. on screen. The audience feels safe but can go on an emotional inner journey.

"It can take us on an emotional rollercoaster, have us trying to solve the puzzle and test our fear in a controlled way. The permission to explore evil is powerful, as we so rarely get the chance elsewhere, and in itself, it is healthy and normal in moderation," Lee said that this is why so many folks love true crime entertainment. It’s the forbidden aspect of it that entices so many viewers and listeners to tune in day in, day out.

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#10

35 Pieces Of Information That Feel Illegal To Know (New Answers) How alot of places just let you and a friend in if you wear a construction vest and helmet and carry a ladder.

[deleted] , Heri Susilo Report

Final score:
351points
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#11

35 Pieces Of Information That Feel Illegal To Know (New Answers) In America, you can

A. Own a pet bear

B. Own a tank

C. Own an RPG launcher

D. Own a pet bear which is riding a tank while practicing firing an RPG

[deleted] , Jason Leung Report

Final score:
347points
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#12

35 Pieces Of Information That Feel Illegal To Know (New Answers) Statistics are super easy to manipulate to say whatever you want. I see so many commercials and other companies that try to claim their product is the best according to these statistics, but really, they fail to meet basic rules and ethics in statistics. Still, even if they were to follow all the rules of statistics, there are many ways to manipulate it to your advantage.

supremekimilsung , Georgia de Lotz Report

Final score:
324points
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However, consuming too much dark content isn’t all that healthy for us. “The challenge we face is the fact that consuming too much of this can desensitize us, and cause us to become less empathetic to the suffering of others, more fearful of our own environment, and potentially be more likely to use aggression ourselves,” the psychologist warned.

“It can also cause us to be triggered by our own previous adverse experiences, make it harder to manage our own emotional balance, and increase our stress levels, so moderating our consumption is something we should have front of mind, even when we get embroiled in the latest series that is pulling us in."
#13

35 Pieces Of Information That Feel Illegal To Know (New Answers) You can just take ducks from a park, the police won’t stop you.

Jaquezee , Josue Michel Report

Final score:
305points
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#14

35 Pieces Of Information That Feel Illegal To Know (New Answers) Social media tracks you to the point that it records every message you write and stores it in a database, every call, message,voice message,image and posts are recorded. You are being monitored to the point that the computer even times the amount of time you spend looking at each post and the longer the time is on topic the more of those types of videos you get, just to keep you engaged in the app and entertained. Over time the computer learns everything about you and knows you better than you know yourself

Theepictacoes , Austin Distel Report

Final score:
275points
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#15

35 Pieces Of Information That Feel Illegal To Know (New Answers) Even though the joke is 'tastes like chicken', humans actually taste like pork according to cannibals e.g. Arthur Shawcross.

Which made perfect sense to me when I found out. In med school we dissected cadavers including human muscle and fat, and xenografts (tissue transplants from one animal to another) are generally pig (or cow) e.g. porcine heart valves are still used for heart surgery in humans.

manlikerealities , dusan jovic Report

Final score:
263points
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#16

35 Pieces Of Information That Feel Illegal To Know (New Answers) Nutmeg, when eaten in large quantities, is a psychedelic drug that can cause hallucinations, coma, or even death.

theassassintherapist , Ehimetalor Akhere Unuabona Report

Final score:
241points
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#17

35 Pieces Of Information That Feel Illegal To Know (New Answers) That there is no federal law preventing a private citizen from owning a flamethrower.

jamabastardinit , Jonathan Kemper Report

Final score:
240points
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#18

35 Pieces Of Information That Feel Illegal To Know (New Answers) Jury nullification. In the US at least, even if all of the members of a jury are convinced that the defendant is guilty, if they don't like the law, they're allowed to vote not guilty.

Stick_Nout , Clive Surreal Report

Final score:
228points
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#19

35 Pieces Of Information That Feel Illegal To Know (New Answers) Jeff Bezos works on the 6th floor of his building Day 1 in Seattle. He has his own private security on that floor (different from building security). A silent alarm goes off when you press the elevator button and you're not Jeff Bezos and his security will be waiting to arrest you when the elevator opens.

ookaookaooka , Steve Jurvetson Report

Final score:
221points
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#20

35 Pieces Of Information That Feel Illegal To Know (New Answers) You’re allowed to rip the tag off your mattress.

NakedKittyAlucard , Haley Owens Report

Final score:
209points
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#21

An 18 year old can legally adopt a 17 year old

fredmaximoff Report

Final score:
206points
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#22

35 Pieces Of Information That Feel Illegal To Know (New Answers) We can all easily find out what people paid for their house. Seems kind of personal, but it’s very public. Same with divorce records.

Westcobbguy , Towfiqu barbhuiya Report

Final score:
203points
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#23

35 Pieces Of Information That Feel Illegal To Know (New Answers) If you google pizza hut, you get an ad for 30% off dominoes pizza (where I live anyway).

Hello_Sweetie25 , Masimo Grabar Report

Final score:
192points
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#24

A decent number of popular youtubers' subscribes are probably deceased.

[deleted] Report

Final score:
188points
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#25

35 Pieces Of Information That Feel Illegal To Know (New Answers) It takes minimal negotiation and paperwork to set up a vending machine. You can probs stock it up for 100 bucks buying bulk and then you'll make like twice that back.

Edit since this has a decent amount of upvotes, a bonus fact! The Ford F-150 is the smallest vehicle that can be used as a tax write-off up to iirc a $1.2 million return, but it only applies if you use it for commerce. (I'm no tax expert so I may have gotten something wrong)

FreenBurgler , Per-Olof Forsberg Report

Final score:
185points
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#26

That sometimes, science works a little like politics. It's sad and it doesn't feel good.

Deskarthus Report

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185points
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#27

I'm trying to lockpick. I'm terrified how easy was pick my bicycle lock. My first attempt and it took 5 minutes.

[deleted] Report

Final score:
175points
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#28

35 Pieces Of Information That Feel Illegal To Know (New Answers) Swimming pools don’t release a blue chemical when you pee in it

TomatoesBros , Marcelo Uva Report

Final score:
155points
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#29

35 Pieces Of Information That Feel Illegal To Know (New Answers) The casino has a mathematical advantage

piebalddacshund , Carl Raw Report

Final score:
153points
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#30

35 Pieces Of Information That Feel Illegal To Know (New Answers) In my town, there are some mountain paths that have a big "ENTRY BANNED - LETHAL DANGER" sign.

The truth is that:

Entry is not banned, it's just that you can't count on public services if you get hurt

The danger exists only from Monday to Saturday from 9 AM to 5 PM - it's caused by the construction of avalanche barrier. Outside of that hours, it's safe to enter.

Odin_Allfathir , yler Scheviak Report

Final score:
141points
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#31

35 Pieces Of Information That Feel Illegal To Know (New Answers) That restaurants often do really disgusting things and have disgusting issues.

I used to waitress and then later manage a pizza place — mosquitos in the drain, nests of mice, stink bug infestations, flies feasting on food that falls behind the appliances that isn’t cleaned up frequently like it’s supposed to be, mold in the soda machine, expired ingredients still being used, etc.

It’s just.. a lot. I was very, very surprised. I knew that most restaurants naturally deal with these things from time to time, but I didn’t expect it to be this often. I also didn’t expect for management to be so nonchalant about going against inspections and regulations.

Other restaurants that friends of mine have managed/otherwise worked at have also had similar issues and it’s pretty wild.

I’ve never eaten at the restaurant that I worked at since quitting. I wouldn’t trust it.

lemonlady7 , K8 Report

Final score:
140points
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#32

35 Pieces Of Information That Feel Illegal To Know (New Answers) I play tabletop RPGs and googled a lot about making bombs, security and guerilla warfare.

Schlaym , Firmbee.com Report

Final score:
140points
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#33

35 Pieces Of Information That Feel Illegal To Know (New Answers) Really (before 1997/98 or so) old microsoft product keys relied on a REALLY simple validity check.

They were numbers in the form XXXX-YYYYYYY. The first 4 digits were specific to the software (I think Office 97 was 0402?) and fixed. The last 7 .. the check was just that the sum of all digits has to be able to be divided by 7 without rest.

So 1111111 worked all the time. 1234567 worked all the time, 7777777 did.

cerker , Windows Report

Final score:
128points
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#34

35 Pieces Of Information That Feel Illegal To Know (New Answers) The chemical formula for nitroglycerin

XtheConqurour , Jimmy Harris Report

Final score:
119points
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#35

35 Pieces Of Information That Feel Illegal To Know (New Answers) I know how to make meth, anthrax, homemade claymore, among other explosives and poisons

TheBigSteeze69 , Brett Levin Report

Final score:
99points
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#36

Yellowstone Park has a Zone of Death, where theoretically, you can get away with any crime, including murder...it is due to a jury flaw

changerfett Report

Final score:
37points
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#37

Potassium Chlorate is available online, cheaply and in bulk.

Combined with table sugar and a little bit of sulphuric acid (also available online or in a car's battery), it will explode and burn with a purple flame.

jeepsaintchaos Report

Final score:
33points
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#38

35 Pieces Of Information That Feel Illegal To Know (New Answers) I know where the one man who does water testing for my hometown lives. Lot of responsibility for one person.

BerserkBoulderer , RephiLe water Report

Final score:
30points
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#39

How much my coworkers make.

InfiniteElway Report

Final score:
29points
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#40

Hydrofluoric acid won't eat through plastic. It will, however, dissolve metal, rock, glass, ceramic

akosijarmin Report

Final score:
29points
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#41

35 Pieces Of Information That Feel Illegal To Know (New Answers) i've spent the past 18 months at home, in my neighborhood walking two dogs 3x a day (sometimes separately) at all hours of the day, so: the layout, egresses, and security patterns of many local establishments, locations of cameras and places where the cops hang out eating snacks, and how to get through various alleys from point A to point in my house with the lights off

[deleted] , Meritt Thomas Report

Final score:
28points
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#42

Being a cannibal isnt technically illegal. It's just all the laws around it that make it near impossible to get away with it.

LucarnAnderson Report

Final score:
28points
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#43

Having somewhat detailed knowledge of age of consent laws.

I took a criminal law class in college and we went over various laws, including various levels of sex crimes. It doesn't feel illegal to know that information, but if you know details of those laws, people tend to think you're trying to find loopholes or skirt up against them.

xaanthar Report

Final score:
27points
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#44

Card counting in blackjack

Corinne_d Report

Final score:
27points
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#45

35 Pieces Of Information That Feel Illegal To Know (New Answers) Get 64 hexadecimal characters in order and you might become a billionaire just like that.

Conversely, if you are a billionaire and someone guesses your 64character sequence, you might just lose all the wealth in there.

Talking about crypto private keys here.

Also, it's tooooooooooo improbable. But yeah.

iKSv2 , Jeremy Bezanger Report

Final score:
25points
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#46

Out of date now, but some users might remember the AACS encryption key controversy. Back in the HDDVD days, you couldn't just clone a disc to share a movie with someone else because you needed an encryption key. Someone figured the key out and put it on Digg (which at the time functioned a lot like Reddit), which then got a cease and desist order. That backfired, as users spread the encryption key far and wide. Sharing the key felt like you were participating in a huge crime network, even though there's nothing wrong with copying and pasting a hexadecimal code.

BTW, it's 09 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C0. This whole episode was the beginning of the end for DRM.

Morall_tach Report

Final score:
24points
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#47

How a nuclear bomb works. Apparently it’s just a uranium bullet being fired at another piece of uranium.

Sheriff_Papa Report

Final score:
23points
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#48

If you put a wet jolly rancher on a cold window and let it freeze then pull, the window will break.

clockwork_skullies Report

Final score:
22points
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#49

So basically at our school if there’s an intruder we are supposed to lock the classroom doors and hide while the teachers stay on their computers waiting for the all-clear code. No student is supposed to know the code because if so it could put us at risk of more problems if a lockdown was to occur. At school I was waiting in the hallway for the bell to ring when I look through the window leading to the school receptionist office when I see this large book. It had the all-clear code right on the front page... I thought schools was supposed to have reliable security?

ImTheChozenOne Report

Final score:
22points
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#50

If you have a VHS tape with copy protect on it, you can record it over onto Betamax then back to VHS to get rid of the copy protect.

springplum Report

Final score:
17points
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#51

The company I worked for. Has a major flaw in their vehicle interlocking breathalyzers. That took me years to come upon. And they knew they all knew.

Lost_Department3570 Report

Final score:
13points
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#52

How to make a fertilizer bomb

dieseldroppings Report

Final score:
13points
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#53

That hotel workers often don’t change sheets and pillows. Wtf I do not want to sleep in someone’s dirty sheets.

FlamingChaps Report

Final score:
13points
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#54

Barbecue sauce is mostly just ketchup

[deleted] Report

Final score:
10points
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#55

Some details about Fritzl Case.

F*cking horrifying.

CoraxvsKurze Report

Final score:
10points
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#56

You can copy any movie, song, photo, or other legally reserved media and share it with anyone you wish without consequence... As long as you are not making any money in the process. (In America)

qwerty4007 Report

Final score:
10points
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#57

35 Pieces Of Information That Feel Illegal To Know (New Answers) What my friend's close friend looks like naked.

We hooked up but he doesn't know that, so I feel like I have illegal knowledge.

throwbiway123 · , Darius Bashar Report

Final score:
6points
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#58

The leg lock trick around a pole. Saw it while on holidays on the west coast of Ireland.

Goblin_Movement Report

Final score:
2points
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